3 days ago
Star of "& Juliet" tour shares connection with show ahead of Denver performances
On June 4, some of the greatest pop hits from the last 30 years will come to the stage at the Buell Theatre as the Denver Center for the Performing Arts presents "& Juliet." The musical, which explores the concept of what would have happened to Juliet if she did not die alongside Romeo, features some of the most popular songs that most Americans listen to regularly.
Rachel Simone Webb as Juliet
DCPA
"The music is so much fun, this is the music of a lot of our childhoods," said Rachel Simone Webb, who portrays "Juliet" for the tour.
Webb said she quickly fell in love with the storyline of the show, as well as the message.
"I read the script and saw how funny it was and knew it was something I wanted to be a part of," Webb said.
Of course, the hits of mega stars being featured throughout the musical only underscored her desire to be a part of the production.
"I grew up listening to Brittany Spears, Kesha, and Katy Perry," Webb said. "'Roar' was a song I practiced with my vocal coach when I was 11 years old. Now, I get to sing it every night."
Rachel Simone Webb
CBS
While the music is fun for the cast to sing and the audience to hear, the lyrics also help guide the story.
"Initially, (audiences) laugh, and then they realize the songs go in pretty well with the story," Webb said. "Musical theatre specifically does its job well when the songs tell the story without it having to be spoken."
Webb said she also has come to love how the story uplifts and empowers women and other groups.
"It doesn't come along often where you get to shift the zeitgeist of culture," Webb said. "It is important for people to consume art that pushes the envelope of female empowerment."
While the show follows themes of love, empowerment, and acceptance, it also promises to leave audiences feeling joy by the final curtain.
Rachel Simone Webb in & Juliet
DCPA
"There is glitter on stage. There is confetti. We get to smile at the end of the show, it is not a tragedy," Webb said.
& Juliet plays the Buell Theatre June 4 through June 15. Tickets are available online.
CBS Colorado is a proud partner of the DCPA.
